Casting-machine.



V. H MILLS. GASTIN G MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, 1909.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

Witnwom XWZM entrain snares PATENT clerics.

VIRGIL H. MILLS, OF HUBBARD, TEXAS.

CASTING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VIRGIL H. MILLS, citizen of the United States, residing at Hub bard in the county of Hill and State of 5 Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Casting-Machines, of p which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fluid pressure casting machines and more particularly to a machine especially designed for use by dentists, jewelers, and other persons for making ditl'erent kinds of castings.

The object of the invention is to provide a compact and thoroughly ei'ficient machine,

the construction of which is such as positivelyto prevent premature chilling of the molten metal in the flask, thus to insure the production of a casting practically free from llau's and similar defects. c

A further object of the invent-ion is to provide a casting machine including a cylinder having a piston operating within the same and provided with a terminal "foot piece which forms a closure for the flask during the application of air to the molten metal in the latter.

A further object is to provide a casting machine in which tl'uidunder pressure is admitted through tllGiPlStOll after the latter has been moved to. operative position in engagcnicnt with the flask.

A. further object is to provide a casting machine capal. f being used in connection with (tasks o t diil'erent heights, means being so p:.'o .=idcd to preventing the escape of air or actuating medium before the foot contacts with the liask, regardless of the, height of the latter. y

A. further object is to provide a machine in which the initial application of fluid pressure will cause the foot to engage the flask, and a turthcrapplication thereof, force the molten metal within the fissures of said A. still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of. devices so as to increase their utility, durability and ellleiency.

Further objects and advantages will apipcar in the following description, itbeing understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construc-' tion may. be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

For a full ul'ulcrstaniiling ol the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

erial No. 500,578.

the valve in open position. so as to permit the passage of fluid under pressure to the molten metal in the flask; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fi g. 2, and Fig. t .is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the valve casing and its i associated parts, the ball valve being shown in elevation.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters. I

The casting machine forming-the subject matter of the present invention comprises a cylinder 5 having oppositely disposed heads 6 and 7, the latter being'provided with vertically alined perforated lugs S for the reception of anchoring devices 9, said anchoring devices being preferablyin the form of bolts, the lower ends of which are threaded for engagement with a suitable supporting base, indicated at 10.

The lower head 7 is spaced from the upper surface of the supporting base 10 by means of tubular members 11 interposed between the head 7 and said base and s1irrouiuliugthe anchoring members or rods 9.

Siidably mounted in the cylinder 5 is a piston 12 having a threaded opening formed in the central portionthereof for engagement with the correspoiuliugly threaded end of a tube or conductor 13, the opposite end of the tube or condimtor 13 being threaded in a foot piece 14, the latter forming a closure for the flask 15. The flask 15 which maybe of any suitable construction, is sup-- ported on the base 10 beneath the cylinder 5 so as tobe in position to be engaged by the foot or closure l l when the piston is forced downwardly.

Threaded in the upper cylinder head 6, is a nipple 16 to which is connected one end of a conductor 17, the opposite end of which communicates with a source of fluid pressure (not shown), there being a valve 18 mount-- ed in the nipple 16 for innit-rolling the flow of fluid to the cylinder 4 scribed. It will here be noted that by allow- .lri is covered by a strip of asbestos or similar inaterial 27 in order to insure a tight oint vter is moved to operative position in engage- 'ment therewith.

inder, the valve 20 will not be affected, but

Seated in the upper end of the tube or t conductor i3 is a valve casing 19 having a 5 seat for engagement with a ball valve 21, the latter being normally and yieldably retained in closed position by means of a coil spring 22, one end of which bears against a shoulder 23 formed in the casing, while the other end thereof engages the valve, as shown.

The piston 12 is spaced from the foot or closure it by means of. a tulmlar member Qt, said piston being locked in engagement with the tubular member A by a nut thr aded on the upper end of the tube 125 and bearing against the adjacent surface of the piston 12, as shown.

The upper surface of the piston 12 is preiterably provided with a cup shaped Washer 36 to prevent the leakage of air, while the lower surface of the foot or closure.

between the flask and closure when the lat- The tension of the spring 22 is such that on an initial application o't an. to the eviwhen the foot or closure fl engages the upper end of the flask 15, the pressure of the fluid entering the cylinder through the coilductor 17, will automatically open the valve so, as to admit fluid through the tube .13 to the molten metal and thus force the latter into the fissures or cavities of the flask.

In operation, the metal is placed in the flask 15 and heated, after which the valve 18 is rotated to admit air under pressure to the cylinder 5. As the air enters the cylinder 5-, the piston 12 is forced downwardly until the foot it bears against the upper end of the flask 15 when the pressure of the air on the valve 21 will automatically open the same against the tension of the spring 22 and thus allow the passage of air through the tube 13 to the flask, in the manner before deing the air to pass through the piston to the flask, the machine may be used in connection with flasks of different heights. It will also be noted that air cannot pass through the conductor 13 until the foot or closure tlengages the flask owing to the fact that the valve will not open under pressure until the downward motion of the head 14 is arrested by contact with said flask thus effectually preventing the escape of air when the piston is in elevated or ii-iopcrative position. The valve 20 being timed to act after the foot or closure 14 is in engagement: with the flask, a sudden and full application ot'air under i pressure to the molten metal in the flask is insured, thus positively forcing the metal within the fissures of? the flask before the metal has a chance to chill, and insuring the production of a casting free from flaws and other defects.

Any suitable means may be employed for returning the piston to elevated or inoperathe admission of air to the interior of the" piston in order to raise the same after each application of air to the flask.

it will of course be understood that any type of valve may be employed for controlling the passage of fluid throughthe tube 13, and that if desired, said Valve may be arranged at either or both ends of the piston, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

By arranging the cylinder 5 between the heads (3 and '7 and locking the latter in engagement with the cylinder by the tubular members 11, the machine maybe readily dc: tached from the supporting base and taken apart to facilitate cleaning the same or effecting any necessary repairs thereto, by merely removing the anchoring devices or bolts 9. 1

The device isexceedingly simple in construction and the parts thereof so arranged that the valve, air conductor and its associated I parts are entirely housed within the piston thus to prevent injury thereto during the operation of the machine. 1

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is; v I

,1. In a casting machine, a flask, a vertically movable closure for said flask, means for applying fluid under pressure to force the closure to operative position into engagement with the flask. and means for subsequently admitting the same fluid under pressure through the closure to said flask.

2. In a *asting machine, a cylinder, a flask, a piston disposed within the cylinder and provided with a closure movable to operative position into engagement with the flask, means for admitting fluid under pres sure to the cylinder to operate the closure,

aml means l'o' admitting the same fluid nnder pressure through said closure to the flask.

It. In a casting machine, a cylinder, a flask, a piston disposed within the cylinder and provided with a foot adapted to form a closure for the flask, means for applying 4. In a casting machine, a cylinder, a flask, a piston slidably mounted in the cylinder and provided with a foot adapted to form ,avclosure for the flask, means for ad-' mitting fluid under pressureto the cylinder to operate thee toot, and a valve movable automatically to open position to permit the passage of said fluid under pressure through the foot when the latter is in engagementwith said flask.

5. A castingmachine including a cylinder, a flask, a piston disposed within the cylinder and provided wit-h a foot adapted to form a closure for the flask, means for a-dinitt-ing fluid under pressure to the cylinder to operate the foot, and a valve 1novable automatically to open position when the foot engages the flask, thereby to permit the passage of the same fluid under pressure through the piston and foot to said flask.

6. A casting machinev including a cylin- .der, a flask, a piston slidably mounted in the cylinder and provided with a foot adapt-' ed to :form a closure for the flask, means for admitting fluid under pressure to the cylinder to operate the foot, means for admitting said fluid under pressure to the flask when the foot is 'in'engagenient therewith, and a spring pressed valve for normally cutting off communication between the interior of said cylinder and said flask.

7. A casting machine including a cylin der having connection with a source.of flflid pressure, a flask, a piston operating within the cylinder and provided with a foot adapted to form a closure for the flask, means for admitting fluid under pressure to the cylinder to operate the foot, and a valve timed to act after the foot is in engagement with the flask for admitting the same fluid under pressure to said flask.

8. A. casting machine including a cylinder having connection-with a source of fluid pressure, a flask disposed beneath the cylinder, a piston operating within the cylinder, a foot connected with the piston and adapted to form, a closure for the flask, a spacing member-.drsposed between the piston and foot, a conductor connectingv said piston and foot, and a valve disposed within the conductor and arranged to auto-- matically open Wl16I1 the foot engages the flask, thereby to permit the passage of fluid under pressure to said flask.

9. A casting machine including a cylinder having connection with a source of fluid pressure, a flask, a pistonoperating within the cylinder and provided with a depending conductor, a foot secured to the conductor and adapted to form a closure for the flask, a tubular member serving to space the support and lower head, a flask supported beneath the cylinder, a piston operating within the cylinder, a fluid conductor having its upper end threaded in the piston, a foot engaging the lower end of the piston and adapted to form a closure for the flask,

a tubular member surrounding the conduc- Y tor for spacing the foot and piston respectively, a casing seated in said conductor, a spring pressed valve carried by the casing, a clamping nut engaging the threaded end of the conductor and bearing against the piston, '21 pipe having one end communicab ing with the upperend of the cylinder and its other end communicatingwith a source of fluid pressure, and a valve disposed Within the pipe for controlling the flow-oi fluid to the interior of the cylinder:

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

VIRGIL' H. MILLS. [1,. s.] Witnesses:

Euwiutp R. SHEL'roN, JonN 'H. T. MILLS. 

